Opinions on Safety

[Katikins]

Just a bit of a musings about different people's levels of what's OK etc.

I've just started riding a new share horse (who is wonderful and I think I'm in love - but i digress), the third time I rode him I took him out on a hack for about an hour and a half. Now I've been riding for 20 years, have a pretty good idea about judging a horse's personality and safety levels and I will never knowingly put myself in danger. I also had a very good chat to the owner about if he's bothered by anything (he's obviously fine with traffic as the yard is on the side of a dual carriageway) and made sure she was fine with it. Some girls at the yard thought I was bonkers to be doing this and it wasn't safe.

Now when I was up yesterday on the same yard the girl in the stable next to Tazz's was tacking up her mare and we got chatting. She's just had a hernia so hasn't been riding for 3 weeks and this was to be her first time on, her horse has also been stabled this entire time as she has really bad mud fever so has just had walking out in hand and lunging. She was obviously riding in the school but next thing I know I look over and she's riding with no hat on!! Thankfully the horse was a saint and nothing happened but I think what she did was bonkers. No way I'd get on a horse who had been stabled for 3 weeks with no hat on!!

It did make me think about different people's perspectives on what is safe and what is not. My OH said I should have said something but I didn't feel it was my place and also hats aren't as usual over here - I frequently see children riding on the roads with no hats on. And conversly, hacking doesn't seem to be as popular as going round and round in endless circles in a school.

Just wondered what everybody else's opinions were and where do you draw the line?

 

[ThePony]

My view would have been the same as yours! Hacking - fine (with hat and bp), riding a stabled horse - no way! I would have gently lunged and then ridden (prob with hat and bp tbh). Unless she was a total beginner, and so maybe wouldn't have been as aware of the effect of a long while of stabling, then I also wouldn't have said anything. I wear what I choose to and feel safe in, and leave others to make their own decision. I would think she was totally mad though and prob would have grumbled to oh about it!

I do always wear a hat and a bp. In all fairness I could prob loose the bp as my mare is pretty much always a total saint. But then I may as well take the extra protection it offers as not! I'm not v bothered that people might think I'm a novice (or uncool!) with it on, and it doesn't restrict me.

I think it is down to what I am used to and what my mare is used to. I usually hack and so I feel comfortable doing that. We don't go in the school v often, so my mare finds it rather exciting! So I don't feel as safe in the school!

 

[Emily91]

Personally I am very safety minded. In my eyes if i get hurt it means I can't do the things I want to do with the horses, and possibly lose my job as I work with horses! And so i always ride with hat and (body protector if jumping). I wear sturdy boots and make sure I assess the situation properly.

It makes me so mad to see people riding without hats! even if it is a perfect horse all it takes is for it to trip and you to be slightly off balance and bang you're on the floor!

I get so angry when I visit one of my local shows. The show is on the land of a well known showjumper. Said showjumper and grooms have been known to ride around the showfield with no hats on! I mean what kind of a message does that said to the young kids around that idolise them?!

So yes I find it essential to be safe. Having siad that I dont go around the yard with my riding hat on or lead from the field with hat etc. Which I know some people do.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Just a bit of a musings about different people's levels of what's OK etc.

I've just started riding a new share horse (who is wonderful and I think I'm in love - but i digress), the third time I rode him I took him out on a hack for about an hour and a half. Now I've been riding for 20 years, have a pretty good idea about judging a horse's personality and safety levels and I will never knowingly put myself in danger. I also had a very good chat to the owner about if he's bothered by anything (he's obviously fine with traffic as the yard is on the side of a dual carriageway) and made sure she was fine with it. Some girls at the yard thought I was bonkers to be doing this and it wasn't safe.

Now when I was up yesterday on the same yard the girl in the stable next to Tazz's was tacking up her mare and we got chatting. She's just had a hernia so hasn't been riding for 3 weeks and this was to be her first time on, her horse has also been stabled this entire time as she has really bad mud fever so has just had walking out in hand and lunging. She was obviously riding in the school but next thing I know I look over and she's riding with no hat on!! Thankfully the horse was a saint and nothing happened but I think what she did was bonkers. No way I'd get on a horse who had been stabled for 3 weeks with no hat on!!

It did make me think about different people's perspectives on what is safe and what is not. My OH said I should have said something but I didn't feel it was my place and also hats aren't as usual over here - I frequently see children riding on the roads with no hats on. And conversly, hacking doesn't seem to be as popular as going round and round in end less circles in a school.

Just wondered what everybody else's opinions were and where do you draw the line?

Agree with you on both accounts. I would never ever ride without a hat and on a horse that has stabed for 3 weeks its maddness.
One thing i would say is ask why the the girls on the yard think you were mad to go out by yourself? i only mention as the share horse I have seemed great but I knew a few people were very sceptical of him - 3 weeks later he took off and I broke my wrist. Since I have heard a lot more stories about him doing similar with other people.

 

[Katikins]

Agree with you on both accounts. I would never ever ride without a hat and on a horse that has stabed for 3 weeks its maddness.
One thing i would say is ask why the the girls on the yard think you were mad to go out by yourself? i only mention as the share horse I have seemed great but I knew a few people were very sceptical of him - 3 weeks later he took off and I broke my wrist. Since I have heard a lot more stories about him doing similar with other people.

I think a lot of Dutchies view hacking as an extreme sport or something (though why then then wear no hat is beyond me). I don't think it is due to the issues with the horse as he has another sharer who has been riding him for 5 years and has much less experience than me and I do trust the owners (I know I've only known them a short time but I have trust issues of the opposite kind to most people, LOL). The owner is pregnant and can't ride through the pregnancy and her husband had an accident so Tazz is more just a pet to them hence why they have 2 sharers. I've not heard anything bad about him from anyone so we'll wait and see... I will come back on here and eat my words if he takes off with me tonight now!!

 

[McNally]

I used to have this stupid idea that it was ok to ride our pony without a hat in the field- she was lively but very safe and there was no way i would ever ever come off her!

Until she had the most major coughing fit and coughed her whole saddle off over her head and yes i landed in a heap on the floor- luckily i didnt hurt my head but it made me realize how stupid it is- if you can come off the safest most trustworthy pony there is a possibility of coming off anything and its just not worth the risk.
I think people do it almost in a showing off kind of way maybe thinking it looks cool- well it doesn't, I agree with you on this one.